Sector
Statistical slide
With both final quarter and year end statistics being published in the last month the full extent of the downturn in 2008 is revealed, but there are some rays of sunshine amidst the gloom. Ashley Wassall reports.
SWEDEN - Uminova Invest backs Avtre
Swedish venture capital firm Uminova Invest has invested an undisclosed sum into software business Avtre AB.
GERMANY - Leonardo Venture increases stake in two portfolio companies
Leonardo Venture has increased its stakes in portfolio companies ISIS sentronics GmbH and MedicalCommunications Soft- und Hardware GmbH, for a combined value of nearly EUR 2m.
SPAIN - Doughty Hanson in talks over Yoigo deal
According to reports, UK buyout house Doughty Hanson is in talks regarding an investment into Spanish mobile business Yoigo with majority owner Swedish-Finnish telephone operator TeliaSonera.
EUROPE - 3i sells stake in Infrastructure
Listed private equity firm 3i has reduced its stake in its infrastructure fund to a third after selling 77 million shares. The placing raised £61m towards the £2bn debt pile the investor has accrued; half of which is due in the next three years.
UK - Inflexion reaps 1.5x money from sale of CHKS
Inflexion Private Equity has wholly exited healthcare performance benchmarking specialist CHKS Limited in a trade sale to Capita Group Plc, generating returns of more than 1.5x the investment. Capita cites the price tag for the deal as £11.6m.
UK - Golden Gate sells stake in Micro Focus
Reports suggest that Golden Gate Capital is to sell its 22.3% stake in business software developer Micro Focus International Plc, in a deal that is thought to be worth approximately £117.1m.
NORWAY - Herkules buys Tilbords from subsidiary
Norwegian buyout house Herkules Capital has acquired kitchen and interior products retailer, Tilbords, from Nordic Interior Group (NIG), a portfolio company in Herkules Private Equity Fund II.
FRANCE/US - CAPE leads $8m Bizanga funding
Crédit Agricole Private Equity has led an $8m investment into US-based software company Bizanga, alongside returning investor Galileo Partners.
FINLAND - Bridgepoint to de-list Terveystalo
Pan-European buyout house Bridgepoint has received acceptance from approximately 96% of shareholders of listed Finnish healthcare provider Terveystalo Healthcare Oyj for its EUR 2 per share takeover bid.
GERMANY - Lazard hires Doll
Lazard has appointed Alexander Doll as managing director in its German financial advisory business.
ITALY - AXA PE takes minority stake in TRE & Partners
AXA Private equity has taken a 45% stake in TRE & Partners, a newly established holding company designed to invest in wind, hydro and solar projects in Italy, as part of a joint venture with Italian industrial group Tozzi.
FRANCE - CAPE and Alven back MonShowRoom with EUR 4.3m
Crédit Agricole Private Equity (CAPE) and Alven Capital have invested EUR 4.3m into online retail company MonShowRoom.com in a second round of financing.
GERMANY - zouk leads EUR 10.4m funding round for Triton-Format
zouk ventures has led a EUR 10.4m financing round for water management specialist Triton-Format AG, alongside US-based investor group Meidlinger Partners.
SWEDEN - Industrifonden and Broken Arrow back Conveneer with SEK 36m
Swedish government-backed venture fund Industrifonden and a group of American investors operating under the name Broken Arrow have invested SEK 18m each into mobile technology company Conveneer.
ITALY - 360° invests EUR 5.4m into EPS
360° Capital Partners has led a EUR 5.4m funding round for renewable energy company Electro Power Systems (EPS).
GERMANY - BluO acquires Metro unit in EUR 10m deal
Private equity newcomer BluO has acquired Adler, the beleaguered fashion store unit of listed retailer Metro, in a deal thought to be worth EUR 10m.
Time to reset the bar
Norwegian LP Argentum recently received a government rescue package of NOK 2bn in response to a dearth of capital in the PE industry. Rikke Lilla Eckhoff investigates how funds will fare in this new environment
GLOBAL - Permira bulks up Technology team
Permira has strengthened its technology team with the appointments of Brian Ruder and Bruce Chizen as a partner and senior advisor, respectively.
GERMANY - HTGF invests EUR 500,000 into Liquiverse
High-Tech Gründerfonds has invested EUR 500,000 into software business Liquiverse.